On your way to the Catalan capital? Check out this travel info post where we preview the services of the official hotel association, with unparalleled knowledge of the city.

“The Great Enchantress” is what Australian writer and art critic Robert Hughes called Barcelona, a city that has risen from relatively obscure port town to one of Europe’s most desired travel destinations in just a few decades. In fact Barcelona has always boasted resplendent buildings, from Roman temples and Gothic cathedrals to Art Nouveau palaces and 21st Century skyscrapers, but it was the Summer Olympic Games in 1992 that drew the attention of the world upon the Catalan capital and also paved the way for the building programme that saw massive redevelopment of the city. The most noticeable change of course was on the coastline, where rail tracks and shanty towns were erased and urban beaches and marinas installed. Suddenly Barcelona was no longer an industrial port town, but a glamorous coastal resort!

Today travellers are drawn to Barcelona by its unique mix of epicurean holiday pleasures, like sunbathing, swimming in the Mediterranean, fine-dining and partying all night by the beach, together with its more refined cultural attractions which range from the aforementioned architecture, to award-winning museums like the Picasso Museum or Joan Miro Foundation. Let’s not forget either a year round programme of events that includes operas and ballet at the renowned Liceu Theatre on Las Ramblas, La Merce, Europe’s biggest street party, as well as modern music festivals like Primavera Sound.

Any stay in any city hinges on the hospitality you receive and, if you’re planning on visiting to see these sights for yourself, it’s well worth checking the website of Gremi d’Hotels de Barcelona, the official hotels association of the city and a trusted authority on Barcelona accommodation. On their portal you’ll find more than 400 member hotels, hostels, guest houses, apartments, aparthotels and holiday homes in and around the Catalan capital, all of which meet the current tourism regulatory standards. Best of all they recognise the importance of location, holiday theme and of course price to the traveller, and on their website you’ll find a score of ready-made search filters that enable you to find for example a hotel that is near the airport, or in the Gayxample zone, or search only for hotels with a swimming pool, or only ones that are pet friendly. They also have several thematic filters like “nice and cheap” and “charming hotels” to help you find the right kind of hospitality for you.

Via the Gremi D’Hotels website you can also access special deals, last minute prices and add ons: for example right now you get a free ticket to Poble Espanyol (The Spanish Village), one of the most popular attractions in the city originally created for the 1929 International Exposition, when you book. Being locally based, and with more than 35 years of experience in the industry, it’s fair to say that nobody knows the hospitality scene better and so if you’re not quite sure what you’re after they will happily offer you any advice you need.